


Build Me Up Buttercup

by Rocklicker



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Build me up buttercup, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, No Witches, Raylla Valentines, Romance, no magic, proposal, valentines day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:27:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29439720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rocklicker/pseuds/Rocklicker
Summary: Raelle knew Valentine’s Day was an arbitrary holiday designed for marketing purposes. But Raelle was also a romantic at heart and would use any excuse for an over the top gesture. Especially on Valentine’s Day, her pop had raised her to be a southern gentlewoman after all.
Relationships: Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn
Comments: 3
Kudos: 47





	Build Me Up Buttercup

**Author's Note:**

> The Valentine’s Day fic that literally no one asked for inspired by that clip of Taylor Hickson singing Build Me Up Buttercup by The Temptations in a livestream

Raelle knew Valentine’s Day was an arbitrary holiday designed for marketing purposes. But Raelle was also a romantic at heart and would use any excuse for an over the top gesture. Especially on Valentine’s Day, her pop had raised her to be a southern gentlewoman after all. 

So obviously she left her job at the hospital two hours early so she could run to the florist, jeweler, and grocery store in that order. She had commissioned a custom engagement ring and was still trying to work up a speech in her head. It was a gorgeous 14k white gold band with an oval shaped dark green sapphire with pear diamonds on either side. 

She was definitely anxious, not because she thought Scylla would say no, but because she wanted it to be completely perfect because Scylla deserved that. Raelle was already considering waiting a week or two because she worried it’d be too cheesy to propose on Valentine’s Day. But if she was being honest Raelle really was that cheesy and the thought of going another day not being engaged to Scylla made her heart ache. 

They had been dating for five years now, lived together for four, they were practically already married, just needed the ring and the party to make it official. They had met each other in grad school at John Hopkins University where Raelle was in her second year of Medical school and Scylla was working on her doctorate in Botany at some terrible throwback/disco/get drunk party they had both gotten roped into going to. 

Raelle had been wearing some denim bootcut overalls and a pastel yellow loose floral print shirt. Scylla was wearing a high waisted sunburnt orange skirt that went down to her ankles but had a slit up the right leg with a white button shirt that had the ends tied in a bow showing off Scylla's abdomen. 

They had met at the drinks counter where Raelle was making herself a whiskey and coke when Scylla struck up a conversation about the flowers on Raelle’s shirt. They ended up talking the night away on the back porch staring at the stars, sharing drunk giggles, and swapping stories. Under the moonlight on the back porch Raelle finally worked up the nerve to lean in and steal a kiss from Scylla as ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ by the temptations played in the house. And the rest is history.

Now, five years later, Raelle was working up the nerve to ask Scylla to be her wife, trying to come up with something cute or clever as she made them Swedish meatballs, Scylla's favorite, and mashed potatoes. Meanwhile a lingonberry mousse sat waiting in the fridge for dessert.

Raelle considered putting the ring in the mousse but then re-thought that considering how much Scylla loves lingonberry mousse she’d probably swallow it and not even know. Her ears pricked up as she heard a key in the lock and suddenly she felt all giddy at the prospect of tonight checking her pocket to confirm the little box was still safely inside.

Scylla opened the door and was immediately hit with the delicious smell, she dropped her bag on the kitchen counter and took in the scene around her. Raelle was wearing her best outfit underneath her apron, a high waisted tapered black slack with a blue button up and her sleeves rolled up. She’d decorated a bit, nothing too over the top, the small breakfast nook had been cleared off and Raelle put on a red tablecloth, she’d made a playlist and had it queued up on the surround sound, a bouquet of soft pinks and ivories mingling alongside fresh greenery in a vase in the middle of the table. 

Raelle threw a glance over her shoulder, “Welcome home babe, Happy Valentine’s Day, I’m just finishing up dinner. Sit down and relax, there's wine chilling in the fridge.” 

Scylla wrapped her arms around Raelles waist and pressed a quick kiss to her shoulder blade, “I thought we agreed not to do anything for Valentine’s Day?”, pressing another on Raelle’s neck behind her ear.

Raelle shuddered but kept stirring the sauce, “Y’know I never pass up an opportunity to woo my girl.” 

Scylla extracted herself from the embrace and went about fixing two glasses of white wine for them both. Seamlessly gliding about the room, giving Raelle a kiss on the cheek every time she passed by, before presenting her with a full glass of wine and finally giving Raelle a proper kiss on the lips. 

Raelle carried two plates of the Swedish meatballs to the table and gave a little bow before announcing, “Bon Appétit ma Cherie”

Scylla smiled as heat rose to her cheeks. No matter how long they’ve been together Scylla never gets used to the tenderness with which Raelle treats her. Obviously she saw her parents being in love before they died but constantly being on the run didn’t fester and environment for romance. 

They ate and chatted about their day and Scylla took her last bite and leaned back in her chair with a satisfied sigh.

“I should’ve warned you to save room for dessert. I picked up lingonberry mousse from the Swedish bakery.”

Scylla's eyes widened in excitement, “You really went all out this Valentine’s Day. Trying to butter me up for something?”, a playful jab because Scylla knew that Raelle just enjoyed making her happy. 

Before Raelle had a chance for a witty response she was cut off by their song, Build Me Up Buttercup, coming over the speakers. Both girls locked eyes and Scylla was out of her seat and offering her hand to Raell. 

“May I have this dance, beautiful?” 

Raelle happily obliged and the two of them started dancing around the kitchen together singing the lyrics to each other. 

_Why do you build me up ___

____

Their hands clasped together and raised high to the ceiling bringing their bodies close together.

____

_Buttercup, baby, just to let me down and mess me around ___

______ _ _

Scylla spun Raelle around before bringing them back close together. Foreheads pressed together and hands on each other, getting lost in each other's eyes and abandoning their singing for a quick kiss.

______ _ _

_But I love you still ___

________ _ _ _ _

Raelle made sure to emphasize her lyric change from ‘I love you still’ in the original to “I love you Scyl” a change that Raelle had been so proud of the first time she had drunkenly sang it. Scylla wouldn’t admit it aloud but she always found it pretty cute even though she always gave it a little chuckle in the moment. 

________ _ _ _ _

They danced together around the room for the remainder of the song ending wrapped up in each Raelle closing the distance in a searing kiss just like the first time they had heard the song all those years ago. 

________ _ _ _ _

Breaking apart from the kiss, Scylla cupped Raelles cheeks and stared into those beautiful blue eyes, “So, I also broke our nothing for Valentine’s Day rule. Close your eyes I’ll be right back.” 

________ _ _ _ _

Raelle obliged and closed her eyes but focused all her energy into listening for where Scylla was going. She felt like a kid on Christmas morning, the excitement almost bubbling out of her, manifesting itself in the little taps Raelle’s fingers were making along her thigh.

________ _ _ _ _

She could her Scylla shuffling through her bag and a little rustling going on in Scylla's direction but those were the only clues she got. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Keep them closed”, Scylla placed a chaste kiss on her lips which had Raelles lips curling up into a smile. “Okay, open.”

________ _ _ _ _

Scylla was down on one knee holding a small green box containing a white gold ring with a rectangular salt and pepper diamond. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Raelle, I know it’s cliche to propose on Valentine’s Day but I don’t want to go another without being able to call you my wife. You’ve made me happier than I ever thought I could feel in these past few years. What do you think about doing it for a lifetime? Will you marry me?” 

________ _ _ _ _

Scylla was trying to hold back tears that were gathering in her eyes, smile as big as it possibly could be, her hands were trembling a bit struggling to keep the ring box still.

________ _ _ _ _

“Scyl you stole my line” Raelle dropped onto one knee as well and procured her own ring box from her pocket to open it up for Scylla to see. “You are the sun to my shine, the moon to my stars, the Scylla to my Raelle, getting to wake up next to you for forever would be the greatest honor of my life.”

________ _ _ _ _

Both girls had tears streaming down their faces, placing the rings on each other's ring fingers before closing in for a soft and sweet kiss. Pouring all the love and emotion that they both possessed into this kiss as if it would be their last. But there would be many more kisses. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Can you promise me something Scyl?” Scylla looked at her expectantly waiting for the punchline. “Buttercup, don’t break my heart.”

________ _ _ _ _

Scylla rolled her eyes, “You’re a dork you know that?”

________ _ _ _ _

Raelle held up her left hand to remind Scylla of the ring on her finger. “Yes, but I’m your dork, forever.”

________ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? Requests? 
> 
> I hope everyone has a lovely Valentine’s Day! Remember it just as important to show yourself some love every once in a while too!


End file.
